Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Onui Restaurant Opening! (4)
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It was a pair of high school girls finishing up a late meal.
There was a high school around here somewhere.
They must have been students from there.
I had no idea why high schoolers in uniforms were out eating at this hour on a weekday.
But they probably had their reasons.
"Split the bill?"
- Split? Oh, you mean separate checks? No, just do it all together.
She held out her smartphone with the payment app open.
- Kwon Su-young, what's up? You're paying?
- Of course not. I'll send it to you later.
- Gotcha.
"It's 14,000 won. Receipt...?"
- No, we're good without one.
As I handed the phone back, the girl peered past me into the kitchen.
Must have been fascinated by the open kitchen setup.
- Oppa, when did this place open?
"We started business today."
- I thought I spotted a new restaurant. What's it called?
"Onui Restaurant."
- No, your name, Oppa.
She looked me straight in the eye.
I was caught off guard by the sudden question but played it cool.
"I'll tell you next time you stop by."
- Okay, deal. No other meaning! The food was just so good, I wanna come back a lot, so it'd be nice to be on friendly terms.
"I'm grateful if you come back."
- We'll be back! It was delicious today. I'll bring more friends next time!
She dashed out of the restaurant, leaving those words behind.
Her friend following had a pretty rough way of talking.
- Hey, who're your friends besides me? Let's go!
The way she put it, they seemed like really close friends.
If I'd had a normal school life, would I have had a friend that tight?
"Uuu..."
I heard a dissatisfied grumble, so I looked down.
Yoon-seul was wearing a lost-puppy expression.
Her face was full of worry.
"Huh? What's wrong, Yoon-seule?"
"Oppa is Yoon-seul's Oppa. That person..."
"Oppa is Yoon-seul's Oppa?"
"Yeah..."
"But that Unniee called you Oppa?"
"Yeah, she shouldn't..."
"Aigoo, is that why you're mad? Come here, Yoon-seul."
Looks like my little sister was jealous in her own way. I picked up Yoon-seul, her cheeks puffed out like hotteok pancakes.
So cute, just like a five-year-old should be.
"Let's hang out in the kitchen together then, Oppa'll read to you until the next customer."
"Mm... I'll specially forgive you."
What?
Was I the one who needed forgiving?
- Heh, that kid's too cute.
- Yeah, she must really love her Oppa. Wish my kids got along like that.
A few lingering customers smiled watching Yoon-seul. Teaming up with my sister to run this place really was a stroke of luck.
Of course, the biggest luck was Yoon-seul becoming my family.
**
The day's business wrapped up like that.
Yoon-seul seemed more comfortable in the restaurant than I'd expected, adapting well whether in the kitchen or out front.
I managed the first day of operations without a hitch too.
I'd picked up all sorts of skills working at the meat place before, and above all, with my cooking abilities unlocked, the prep was a breeze.
As long as the cooking went smoothly, there weren't many ways to mess up.
"Oppa, good job."
"You too, Yoon-seul."
We closed up and got home a bit past 9 p.m. We had some buffer after closing, so we took a night stroll along Seongbuk Stream on the way back. A leisurely trip home.
Even Yoon-seul had been busy handling customers and reading books till late, taking it easy but still. She even begged for a walk, and we did plenty, so she must be wiped.
"Oppa, you wash first?"
"Nah, you go first today, Yoon-seul. Gotta call Ho-yeon Hyung now."
"Uuu... Red Hat Uncle again."
She sighed and waddled off to the bathroom, plop plop plop.
She'd call if anything happened in the shower.
Yoon-seul preferred bathing alone anyway, so I wasn't too worried.
Ring ring.
Click.
- Hey, Song Joo-hyuk. Good work.
"You too, Hyung. Still at the shop?"
- Yeah, wrapping up now. But I'm done with my stuff, so talking's fine.
"Good to hear."
- So, how was the first day? Disaster?
"Nah, not that bad."
- Oh yeah? Must've drawn a crowd. Bet they came for that handsome face of yours, Joo-hyuk. No need to sell kimchi anymore.
"Nah, it was all thanks to Yoon-seul."
- Your sister? Makes sense, she eats like a champ. You comp her a meal and folks come in to watch?
"Pretty much."
- Hmm, so sales were decent?
"Uh... yeah. I didn't expect it to go this well..."
- What? Don't leave me hanging. How much?
"Ran out of prepped ingredients and closed early."
- What? Early close?!
Ho-yeon Hyung let out a perfect squeak of surprise. First day open—no grand opening event—and business boomed like that? Of course he'd be shocked.
Two reasons for the early close.
First, I made Yoon-seul pork stir-fry for dinner, and even more customers poured in than lunch.
We even had a 2-3 group waitlist this time.
Dinner usually outsells lunch and draws crowds—totally normal.
But for an alleyway spot, I hadn't anticipated this many on day one.
I'd felt Yoon-seul's power, but misjudged the local foot traffic.
So for the first day, I prepped conservatively, less than planned.
That backfired.
Pork stir-fry and eggplant fries—both sold out.
Folks trickled in around 8 p.m.,
'Sorry, we're out of everything today—could you come back another time?'
- What? Came here 'cause it's new, and it's a hot spot already? Out of stock?
- Gotta come back.
Exchanges like that.
Sorry to the customers who came.
If I'd known, I'd have prepped more,
But who could've predicted a full sell-out on day one?
- Wow, that many people came in just to watch your sister eat? She's your signboard.
"Right? Total bragging rights, our Yoon-seul."
- You should treat her to something yummy next time.
"Yeah. Thinking of grabbing her something good next Monday. Made that our day off."
- Smart. Spend time with family like that, makes business fun.
We hadn't prepped tons, so revenue wasn't insane. Just way above expectations.
Key now is maintaining or slightly growing it.
- Great start on day one, Joo-hyuk. Life blooming yet?
"Not quite. Gotta keep at it without slacking till the shop's stable and Yoon-seul's in school."
- Fair point, good mindset. But ease up a bit. Too tense and you burn out.
"I'll keep that in mind."
- Yeah. Hearing it went well eases my mind. Good work today—part-timers finished closing, so I'm heading home.
"Yep, thanks for everything. Talk soon."
- Sure~ Good work.
Click.
Yoon-seul emerged from her bath shortly after I hung up.
"Oppa, Yoon-seul washed alone."
"Good job. Want me to dry your hair?"
"Yeah, it's wet."
"Hang on a sec."
Yoon-seul sat on the bed waiting.
There's an outlet on the wall by the bed foot, so I usually dry her hair with her sitting there.
Some water and strands drop,
But no way I'm risking the bathroom outlet and electrocution.
Can't have our Yoon-seul getting hurt.
Vrrr.
Her fluffy, soft hair tangled around my fingers, strands fluttering.
Hot air damages it, so cool breeze, medium speed.
"Wind okay, Yoon-seul?"
"Mm... perfect. Nice and cool."
Perfect, nice and cool.
What was that speech?
Historical drama?
"Where'd you pick up that line?"
"Hm? Drama grandma was watching."
"You mimic everything you hear, huh, little sis."
"Everything?"
"Nah, not quite."
"Puuu..."
Coming home late after closing, drying Yoon-seul's hair like this.
Might feel like a chore to some parents.
But not me.
Even this heals me.
Her feet thumping the bed frame.
Soft strands brushing my nose.
Teasing her and watching her puff cheeks or pout.
It's all seeping into my daily life now—to where it'd feel empty without it.
"Hair's all dry and neat now?"
"Yawwn... Oppa washes and it's good."
"Yeah, I'll wash up, so you lie down first."
"Won't sleep, I'll wait."
"Alright, wait for me."
Big yawn from Yoon-seul.
Says she'll wait but claims bed center, yanking covers to her chest.
Bet when I finish showering, she's out cold.
I rushed through so the noise wouldn't wake her, and sure enough—snore snore—from the bed.
"Where'd that 'I'll wait for Oppa' Yoon-seul go?"
"Snore-!"
Snore got louder, like an answer.
Couldn't help laughing.
"Aigoo, I'm beat."
Groaned softly, plopping on the bed edge.
Yoon-seul had scooted to the wall side, like giving me space.
Wall's cool, so she gravitates there in sleep. Makes it comfy for me.
If only she didn't climb on me sometimes at night.
Lying down, laziness hit.
Grabbed my phone from habit.
[22:42]
Lock screen clock.
"Almost 11 already?"
Unlocked, and there was a weird notification.
[Progress 100%]
[App Download Complete]
"Huh? Did I download something?"
No memory.
First day nerves blanked my brain?
Puzzled, I swiped past lock screen.
A new app sat on home screen with a familiar name.
[Onui Tycoon!]
"What's this, Onui?"
....
"Delete it?"
Long-pressed the Onui Tycoon app. Scissors icon for delete popped up just before—
Bwoong.
Urgent alarm sound.
[Dal-nim: Wait! So heartless to delete it?]